Car makers are quick...
Car makers are quick to boast about their eco-friendly credentials. But which brand really has cleaned up its act this year, and which hasn’t?
Our German sister magazine...
Our German sister magazine, Auto Bild, carried out the trials on a saloon, and then compared it to a five-year-old Volkswagen Golf MkIV. The results showed the VW to be a safer vehicle in nearly every respect, with more severe damage to the head, chest and feet of the dummy in the Dacia. However, the test has caused controversy.
A Renault UK spokesman told us: "We understand two Dacias were crashed, yet only the results of the first have been reported, even though there was a significant difference between the two cars. The second gave a much better performance." He said with twin airbags and ABS, the Dacia Logan offers comparable or better safety features than other new vehicles of a similar price, and is likely to get a three-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
The Logan will arrive in UK showrooms in 2007. Entry-level versions should cost less than í‚á£5,500, while flagship models, which will be fitted with remote central locking, plus electric windows and mirrors as standard, are likely to be less than í‚á£7,500. There will be a premium of only í‚á£500 for the estate variant. The spokesman added: "We expect to offer two or three trim levels, and the load-luggers should allow us to reshape the budget sector. We believe there"s never been so much car offered for so little, and we"re confident the Logan will be a success."
The newcomer will be sold from Renault dealers which are big enough to have separate Dacia showrooms, but the firm will set up a stand-alone network if annual sales exceed more than 25,000 units.